Sept 22, 2023. Posted by Balkan Periscope - Hellas
As Central
Greece starts to recover from the deadly floods caused by Storm Daniel,
authorities are coming under scrutiny for their lack of preparation and failure
to implement EU directives on flood management.
Storm
Daniel was the deadliest tropical-like storm that hit Greece and other parts of
the Mediterranean earlier this month, leaving 17 dead behind and causing
massive damage to infrastructure and agricultural production.
A prosecutor’s
investigation has been initiated to determine the adequacy of prevention
measures taken by local authorities.
It comes
amid accusations of intervention in a nearby river dyke, prompting
discussions about flooding by intention.
Regional
and local authorities had allegedly requested a dyke of river Kalentzis to be
broken to divert its waters and minimise the flooding in bigger cities.
If
confirmed, the move came at a high cost for the nearby villages, which were
swept underwater by the floods.
Regional
and local government bodies have blamed each other for taking the
decision.
The
investigation will determine who is at fault, but the situation again
highlights Greece’s lack of preparedness.
EU directives ignored
As the waters withdraw and the extent of the damage becomes visible, the government and local authorities are urged to improve their defences against extreme weather phenomena caused by climate change.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a set
of measures to relieve and restore the Thessaly region after the
floods.
Amongst the measures, which mainly concern compensation for the affected
population, is the creation of a new water management body in Thessaly
that will be responsible for conducting studies and completing works in
the region, ensuring the management of its rivers and the protection of its
crops.
Greece has been lagging in implementing EU legislation for the effective
management of rivers and tackling flooding risks.
Under the EU’s Water Framework Directive, adopted in 2000, every EU
country is expected to adopt a river basin management plan and report to the
European Commission every six years. The same applies to the Floods
Directive, adopted in 2007, whose purpose is to help reduce and manage the
risks of flooding across Europe.
The European Commission is closely following the implementation of the
Floods Directive, a Commission spokesperson told Euractiv.
The spokesperson said Greece has failed to revise the necessary documents
on time, which led to the Commission opening an infringement procedure in
February.
The value of water management
The lack of resilience to floods is a water management issue, says Claire
Baffert, Senior Water Policy Officer at WWF.
Human activity and interventions on rivers have affected and degraded
freshwater ecosystems, raising the need for more EU action for their
restoration, she told Euractiv.
The Water Framework Directive has effectively prevented degradation but is
poorly implemented.
“There is a lack of implementation on behalf of Member States and
enforcement on behalf of the Commission,” Baffert said.
“The Water Framework Directive is still very relevant, but it needs to be
better implemented, and measures which prioritise water retention in the
landscape, such as floodplain restoration, need to be taken urgently,” she
added.
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